The use of multiple displays by computer enthusiasts continues to grow. Using more than one display allows a user to stretch his or her desktop to show more programs than if a single display is used. In addition, a single program may be stretched over multiple displays so that more of a document, such as a spreadsheet, may be seen without scrolling. A presentation may also be opened over several pages and may be dragged across several different displays.
Because of the cost of producing large displays, purchasing two displays may provide the same amount of desktop space for less price than a large monitor. In addition to the cost of the monitor itself, however, conventional multiple monitor systems require an additional cable and display adapter, usually in the form of a video card, for each monitor. Alternatively, a special video card, often called a “dualhead” or multi-display card, must be purchased for the computer. Adding or changing the video cards requires opening the computer box and some knowledge of the internal structure of the computer. Moreover, the cables and video cards must be configured correctly by a user to create a single virtual display surface.
A drawback to the use of multiple monitors is that visually scanning from one monitor to another may be difficult. The wide frame that extends around the display for most monitors interrupts the eye when a user scans from one monitor to another, even when the monitors are placed as closely together as possible.